It's not working.  Heejung, the woman they've been seeing, walks out on them after three months.  Minseok stares at the necklace she's left behind on top of Junmyeon's dresser, wondering if it would be better to return it or just throw it away.

It's around 5:30 in the morning.  The sun is just coming up and Junmyeon's sleeping on their bed next to where Minseok perches on the edge of the bed.  In his mind, Minseok draws Heejung's face and wonders if he had loved her.  He had, Minseok decides.  He had loved her because she had loved Junmyeon.   Junmyeon had loved her because she had loved him.

But had that been enough?

He touches the screen on his phone.  It lights up, revealing a photo of the three of them laughing.  They're at the beach and Junmyeon has an arm thrown around each of them.  Heejung is grinning, leaning into Junmyeon's ear as Minseok smiles at the camera.  Minseok wonders if this was ever a three way relationship in the first place.  He remembers meeting Heejung for the first time.  She had been taking a course with Junmyeon and had fallen in love.

The magic number though seems to be three.  It's always Junmyeon, Minseok, and someone else.  It's been like that since the beginning and if Junmyeon realizes that he'll only Minseok when there's a woman in the mix, he doesn't admit it out loud.  They've been trying for years now and it's their fourth woman who's broken up with them.

"It's too hard" they always say.  "It doesn't work this way.  It's not right."

There's a pattern to the way things go: Junmyeon always fights for the girl and Minseok never argues.  After the breakup, Junmyeon is always angry or upset and Minseok is left feeling hollow inside.

Junmyeon starts to stir.  It's almost 7 in the morning now.  Minseok stretches his back.  He's been sitting in the same position for a couple of hours now, still looking at the photo on his lock screen.

"Get rid of that" comes Junmyeon's voice, husky with sleep.  "Forget her.  You should move on too."

Have you moved on?  Minseok wants to ask.  Is it that easy for you?

But Minseok knows it's not been easy on Junmyeon one bit, that he's hurting too.  They just have two different ways of greiving.  After a pause, Junmyeon covers his eyes with his arm.  Minseok knows he hasn't gone back to sleep and Minseok lets out a little sigh.  It's almost time for Minseok's first class.

"What if we-"  Minseok stares at the lower half of Junmyeon's frowning face. 

"What."

"What if we went out with a guy this time?"  Junmyeon sits up on the bed, frown getting deeper.

"You mean the guys who ogle you at school?"  Junmyeon shakes his head.  "Those guys are just after your body."

Minseok looks down at his lap, then sighs, wondering if there's a solution to all this.

"What if we-"  Minseok starts to say, but he's too much of a coward to say it.  

What if we just were the two of us?

"We're gonna be late" Junmyeon says, turning his head and getting up.  "Let's wash up."

Right before Junmyeon disappears into the bathroom, Minseok opens his mouth.  

"I love you."

It's a small voice, unlike Minseok's usual, and at first Minseok thinks Junmyeon hasn't heard.  But Junmyeon's feet stop short at the door frame.  Junmyeon doesn't quite look back, but he turns his head and sighs.

"I know" he replies.

Later, as they're waiting for the bus, Junmyeon stares at Minseok's neckline.

"What?" Minseok asks, Heejung's necklace.  "What is it?"

Junmyeon looks into Minseok's eyes.  His pupils are dark and searching.

"Nothing" Junmyeon returns, turning his head.  "It's nothing."